Tag Archives: Spring Training

Win or lose this afternoon, Mike Pelfrey will have had a good first half. Much better than anybody would have anticipated considering how he was rocked during spring training.

However, today is more about heading into the break on a positive psychological note than it is pumping up his already impressive numbers.

At 10-3, and on pace for a 19-6 season, Pelfrey is having a breakthrough year, but is going through rough patch, almost a flashback to last year in his inability to minimize the damage and finish off innings, something he has done so well throughout the first half.

After a 9-1 start that unearthed his maturity, including a loss to the Yankees in late June, Pelfrey is 1-2 over his last four starts. That, in it is no big deal, but what has raised a red flag was an inability to finish and a lack of composure, which flared in Monday’s loss to Cincinnati.

Pelfrey unraveled after failing to get two calls and the result was seven runs in 4 2/3 innings, his second straight start in which he failed to get out of the fifth.

“I thought for the first time in over a year, I let my emotions get the best of me,’’ Pelfrey said in a candid admission. “That wasn’t very good on my part.’’

Not only did Pelfrey admit to that, but attributed his rough patch to a dead arm period.

“Every year, you just go through a little period where you don’t feel like the ball is coming out of your hand like it has that extra life on it,’’ Pelfrey said. “I feel like I’ve been going through that.’’

Over his last four starts Pelfrey has been tagged for 18 runs on 34 hits and eight walks. Not All-Star like at all, but also not a regression.

Pelfrey will attempt to put the brakes on his personal and the Mets’ team slide this afternoon against the Braves. Beating Atlanta for the third time in the first half would not only pull the Mets within three of the Braves but also give him a positive base from which to approach the second half.

The clock is about to start for Carlos Beltran, who has been running the bases in extended spring training games. The next step is minor league rehab games, and GM Omar Minaya said today that will be Thursday in Port St. Lucie.

Once the rehab games begin Beltran has a 20-day window to return to the Mets. That would be after the All-Star break. If the window expires and Beltran isn’t ready, the Mets would need his permission to stay in the minors.

As of now, both Beltran and the Mets see the player as a center fielder, which would mean a platoon role for Angel Pagan.

The club also announced John Maine will seek a second opinion on his shoulder. Based on his contractual status the Mets don’t need Maine’s permission to go to the minor leagues.

I’d especially like to say hi to my dad, who introduced me to baseball, and nurtured my love for the sport as somebody who’d play catch with me in the back yard, take me to the Indians games and hit grounders to me as my Little League coach.

Baseball, to this day, has always been a common denominator in our lives. Even when we argued, as fathers and sons do, baseball was something we could always talk about.

Later, I brought him down to spring training with me and that was a wonderful, special time, one I’ll always be grateful for having experienced.

I love my dad and always will for the things he taught and gave me, and one of those things was baseball.

Jerry Manuel is saying John Maine might need another rehab start after Friday night, which probably isn’t a bad idea considering he was clocked at 88 mph. in his last outing.

When Maine comes back he would most likely come back as a starter because Manuel fears his shoulder might not be able to handle the up-and-down nature of the bullpen.

Several years ago the Mets once toyed with the idea of moving Maine to the bullpen but resisted.

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Word is Carlos Beltran is running with a limp, which still delays the timetable on his return.

Once Beltran moves from extended spring training games to a minor league rehab assignment the clock will start and the Mets would have 20 days to activate him.

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NOTES: Luis Castillo is taking ground balls in Port St. Lucie and might be activated for the Yankees series at the Stadium this weekend. … With the Mets facing righthanded pitching until Sunday look for Chris Carter to remain as the DH.

Sometimes, I wish Jerry Manuel came with a mute button. Or at least a filter. Considering all that Carlos Beltran has gone through, to think he’d even consider activating him now for these games as a designated hitter is absurd.

BELTRAN: Not ready yet.

Just because he’s playing extended spring training games doesn’t mean he’s even close to being ready, even as a DH. I can understand him thinking it would be nice, but to suggest it out loud is just ridiculous. It’s like when he suggested Jose Reyes hitting third.

Doesn’t he think these things through before saying them?

Beltran doesn’t go full speed in these games, even if he’s playing in the outfield. I’m even concerned about the outfield in these games if he’s not able to go full speed.

The Mets botched this with Beltran from the outset, and to think otherwise is being naive. If the Mets are lucky, they’ll have Beltran back in August. And, that’s after an extended time in Buffalo.